On Saturday, March 5, more than 50 TU members, family, and friends, gathered at Range Pond to enjoy each other's company and some balmy weather. A crew of experienced hard-water fanatics volunteered as guides, sharing tips and tip-ups.

Ice fishing presents a great opportunity to learn more about fish behavior and gives us a new perspective on familiar waters. The slower tempo is perfect for catching up with acquaintances and forging new friendships. And, like open-water fishing, the best days on ice usually have more to do with the folks we're with than the fish we meet. The TU crew managed to pull a solitary smallmouth through the ice. A huge, thanks goes out to our volunteers who passed on their knowledge, introduced more than a dozen kids to a new way to enjoy our beautiful state, and drilled more holes than the UNE dental program.

Spring is just around the corner. Soon the ice will be gone and our waters will resume their race to the sea. There isn’t a lot to recommend a March day in Maine, but they give us a great chance to savor stillness. Squander these days and you’ll have to wait another year before the chance comes round again.